Sweating Smarter, Not Harder With The Polar M61 Heart Rate Monitor

Heart rate monitors have been a part of the workout world for average users since the 1990s; they were first invented for conditional training by Polar in the '70s for the Finnish Ski Team, where the concept of "intensity training" was first put to the test – the scientific measure of how long a heart rate is elevated with a workout was corroborated to actual performance data, and became the root of several fitness revolutions in the 1980s and 1990s.  This is where the Polar Heart Rate Monitors first made their mark. Polar's M61 heart rate monitor brings the hard data to workout warriors the world over.

For the latest Polar models, check out the wider range of Polar Heart Monitors.

Polar Heart Rate Monitors - Polar M61

The Polar M61 heart rate monitor is a great tool for someone looking to reach their next level of fitness, or to just lose weight.  The easy to read display is ideal for monitoring your total workout, with a multi-view display that can tailor the information you're watching.  The monitor straps to your wrist (an optional bike handlebar bracket is also available), and functions as a wristwatch, with the usual alarm and stop watch functions.

The chest band has the sensors integrated into the elastic, and uses the Wearlink Coded functionality to use encrypted short range FM broadcasts to get the data from your chest to the wrist unit with no cross talk from other wireless devices.  The chest band is comfortable, and the sensors are unobtrusive, allowing it to be worn with most workout clothing without creating unsightly bulges.

Polar Heart Rate Monitors Goal Reaching

Polar doesn't stop there, by entering some biometric data (like inseam and body weight), it can be used to track several other exercise goals, like how many calories you've burned since the start of a workout.  It can also be set to remind you when you've missed a workout – sort of like having a gym buddy on your wrist – and it has a lot of additional functionality over other heart rate monitors for determining where your workout zone should be.

Specifications

The Polar M61 heart rate monitor can even be pre-programmed for specific workout goals, with exercise times, warmup guidelines and what your goals are for heart rate and overall duration at a specific heart rate.  The built in programmed guides include advanced and basic workouts, light, moderate and hard intensity settings, and even some guidelines for weight training.

In use, the Polar M61 does a good job of not only gathering the information, but allowing you to tailor how it's displayed; building a functional user interface on a device this small is the work of good design, and the Polar M61 shows that in spades.

No matter what your workout goals, consider the Polar M61 as your best workout buddy for getting your heart rate up and your athletic goals met.